Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

[keithcurtis]

The other night our GM decided to run a major battle using the mass combat rules in Fantasy Hero. Although the details were fun for those of us who like the ocasional wargame, it really took a long time to run and those who were more into role playing began to drift off to sleep.

 

Since we played for about two hours without eliminating a single unit, we decided to try something much faster to resolve the battle next game. Hence I present the rough draft for:

 

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Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

 

Each Unit gets an OFFENSE, A DEFENSE.

 

OFFENSE = Base OCV + DCs for main attack + Unit Size* + 1/5 points in CSLs

DEFENSE = Base DCV + DEF + Unit Size* + 1/5 points in CSLs

 

*Unit Size is how much the number of people in a unit differ from the average unit size. If all units represent 96-124 people, the Unit Size is 0. A Unit with 125-186 people would have a +1, and so on. The chart where I got these modifiers is on FH, p.203

 

Skill Level bonus rounds up to the nearest whole integer.

 

All other characteristics such as Movement and Speed are used normally for the scale of the battle as per the standard FH Mass Combat rules.

 

Example: A Company of Knights have an OCV/DCV 6, a 6 DC attack, standard unit size and 13 points in combat levels. OFFENSE = 6+6+0+3 = 15

They are wearing DEF 7 armor, giving them DEFENSE = 6+7+0+3 = 16

 

A goup of Elven Archers has OCV/DCV 7, a 5 DC attack, standard unit size and 10 points in combat levels. OFFENSE = 7+5+0+2 = 14

They are wearing DEF 3 armor, giving them DEFENSE = 7+3+0+3 = 13

 

A Peasant Levy has OCV/DCV 4, a 3 DC attack, standard unit size and 3 points in combat levels. However, they are also a mob of 200, giving them a unit offset of +2. OFFENSE = 4+3+2+1 = 10

They are wearing DEF 2 armor, giving them DEFENSE = 4+2+2+1 = 9

 

In brief:

 

Knights 15/16

Elven Archers 14/13

Peasant Levy 10/9

 

Combat

Conduct movement normally. Whenever a unit is in position to attack another. Compare the OFFENSE to the DEFENSE and use the difference to modify a d6 roll. the most the roll can be modified is by 4, no matter the actual difference. Then compare the results to the follwing table. "Unit" refers to the Defender.

 

 

Lightning Result Table

1 No Effect, regardless of modifiers.

2 no effect

3 No effect

4 Unit disrupted, roll morale to rally

5 Unit scattered, roll morale -1 to rally, drop -1/-1

6 Unit routed, roll morale -2 to rally, drop -2/-2

 

On a natural roll of 1, roll again. Another natural 1 gives the defending unit a free counterstrike (The attacker fumbled or made a critically stupid error)

 

On a natural roll of 6, roll again. Another natural 6 results in the total destruction or routing of the defending unit. (Hey, I said this was Lightning Quick)

 

 

Exceptional Characters

Characters can use Oratory to help a morale check by +1 per 2 the roll is made by.

Characters can use Tactics to give a +1 off/def per 2 the roll is made by.

 

 

Miscellaneous special rules:

 

Missile weapons are -1 Off. per 3 hexes.

 

Polearms can set for a cavalry charge for +3/+3. If they have a held 1/2 phase, they automatically attack first.

 

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Well, whadaya think so far? I'll probably throw in a couple of terrain modifiers, but that's essentially it.

 

Comments? Crits? Tomatoes?

 

Keith "Not Sun Tsu" Curtis

[keithcurtis]

Re: Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

 

BUMP

 

I'd really appreciate any feedback on this. I'm going to present it to the GM tonight, and I'd like to hear any ideas I may have overlooked.

 

Keith "Not too proud to beg" Curtis

[Agent X]

Re: Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

 

Is there a way to take presence into account without making the lightning quick not-so-quick?

 

P.S., I like it.

[keithcurtis]

Re: Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

 

Is there a way to take presence into account without making the lightning quick not-so-quick?

 

P.S., I like it.

 

Individual Presence, or Unit Presence? I suppose a unit could make a half move for a PRE attack and gain a +1 OFFENSE.

 

Maybe it would be simpler to just figure Presence into the ratings. +1 for every 10 points of PRE or part thereof. The impressive units would just be more effective at demoralizing/scattering enemies.

 

BTW, one of he things I like about this systemis that a strong enough character can actually attack a unit. He just gets the Unit modifier.

 

Keith "Wants to playtest this" Curtis

[Gunrunner]

Re: Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

 

I like it so far, but do you take certain abilities into account, such as having ranged attack capabilities? They should give that unit a special bonus. Perhaps wizards can give similar bonuses to the units to which they belong.

[Captain Obvious]

Re: Keith Curtis' Incredible Lightning Mass Combat Engine

 

I'd be interested in seeing how this turns out in the playtest. I like the mass combat rules as is (well, with a few house rules...but that just tends to complicate matters), but I can see the use for a quick combat system. If nothing else, it would allow a small part of the battle to be run in detail, while allowing the larger melee to evolve in interesting ways. If the detailed section of the battle becomes a foregone conclusion, but the larger battle is still in the balance, it would be possible to shift focus and detail some other part of the fighting.